Coast & Country Housing has been commended for the design of one of its housing schemes.

It has secured recognition for Meadowfields at Marske in the Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council Design Awards 2008.

The two key elements of Meadowfields, which have been focused on are:

• The use of renewable energy involving ground source heat pumps which reduce carbon emissions and led to the project gaining an eco home rating of excellent – the first bungalows in the North East to do so.


• The involvement of residents in the planning process and the delivery of both mobility and wheelchair standard bungalows to meet the needs of tenants.

The Meadowfields development involved the construction of 25 new modern, energy-efficient bungalows, which replaced 36 old pre-fab bungalows built in 1947 for people returning from the war.
Fuel bills in the old pre-fabs cost up to £1,100 a year to heat, but with the ground source heating system, residents can expect to see their fuel bills reduce  by up to 50% - more than £500 per year.

Coast & Country chief executive Iain Sim said: “We are delighted that the design of these homes has been officially recognised.

“The Meadowfield bungalows balance environmental performance and fuel efficiency with the highest standards in terms of construction, comfort, and affordability.”

Redcar and Cleveland Mayor councillor Mike Findlay praised Coast & Country, which received a commendation, for contributing to raising design standards in the borough.